Traditional Muzzleloading Association

The Center of Camp => The Campfire => Topic started by: Darren Haverstick on March 19, 2025, 08:26:19 AM

Title: Javelina tacos - It's what's for dinner!
Post by: Darren Haverstick on March 19, 2025, 08:26:19 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/OVHMz4O.jpeg)

A lot of folks won't eat javelina because they say the meat smells/tastes like the musk gland on their back. That has not been my experience and I was very careful around that gland when I was skinning mine out. The meat smelled to me like...raw meat.

I decided that the first dish I would make from the meat would be birria tacos. My wife and I love those things and I thought it would be appropriate to cook an animal from that region using a recipe from the same.

I used around 5 pounds of meat from the hindquarters and browned it first. I figured if the meat would have an unpleasant smell then this would be the time I would find out. It smelled just like frying meat.

(https://i.imgur.com/vD4UimB.jpeg)

I then put the meat, three different kinds of dried peppers, vinegar, and spices in a pressure cooker and cooked it for a little over an hour. The result was a flavorful meat that shredded easily in my hands. I think its taste and texture leaned more towards pork than beef.

(https://i.imgur.com/sK4Odct.jpeg)

Now it was time for tacos! I made some tortillas, chopped up some cilantro, and put my assembly line together. The key to birria tacos is the juice the meat is cooked in. I saved back a generous portion of that to soak my tortillas in and to dip the tacos in after they were done.

(https://i.imgur.com/vTvgbZm.jpeg)

Here is the end result.

(https://i.imgur.com/k2EmLTE.jpeg)

My wife was initially reluctant to eat the javelina because she doesn't like trying new things. However, she thought the meat in these tacos were delicious! My bloodhound, Jake, concurred.

(https://i.imgur.com/l1PC174.jpeg)

Darren
Title: Re: Javelina tacos - It's what's for dinner!
Post by: RedOneFive on March 19, 2025, 09:04:00 AM
Awesome Darren! I've always wanted to try a spot and stalk for javalina like that!
 Those tacos look delicious!
Title: Re: Javelina tacos - It's what's for dinner!
Post by: BEAVERMAN on March 19, 2025, 12:02:31 PM
Pork, GOOD!  Tacos GOOD!, what's not to like?  :hairy